Lamp-socket.



PATENTED DEG. 4, 1906.

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WILLIAM H. NICHOLS, oF BENNINGTON. VERMONT, AssIeNoR OF ONE-HALF ro ELMER nLLsWORrn LARRABEE, OF BENNING- TON, VERMONT.

LAMP-SOCKET.

T0 all A:117mm it may' concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. NICHOLS, a. citizen of the United States of America, residing at Bennington, in the county of Bennington and State of Vermont, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lamp-Sockets, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to improvements in Incandescent -lamp sockets of that type wherein a rotary switch shaft or spindle operates a cam-block or tumbler for throwing the switch members into or out of contact to make or break the circuit. In lamp-sockets of this .character of ordinaryl construction the switch-shaft forms or is connected to one terminal of the circuit and is necessarily insulated in some manner, usually by 'making the key or handle thereof of insulating material. This key or handle is fastened to the shaft and not only adds to the cost of construction, but is liable to become loose and inoperative or broken, in which event the entire socket is rendered useless and must be discarded. Another objection is that the ordinary key is of a different appearance from the socket and detracts from the finish thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a socket in which these objections are effectually Overcome by making the shaft and its key entirely of metal and insulating the same fromthe circuit connections. The shaft may therefore corres ond in material and finish to the socket, and as the key is an integral art thereof it is not liable `to become bro en, and as a consequence the socket may be used for an indefinite period.

The referred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which# Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a lamp-.socket embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is across-section thereof on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the socket. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on line 4 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a section showing a modification in the means for operating the shaft. I

The numeral 1 in the drawings represents the base of the socket, which is made of porcelain or some other suitable inexpensive insulating material. Formed in dametrically o posite sides of the base are grooves 2, in W 'ch are arranged metallic tenmlnals or con- Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4,1906.

ducting-plates 3 and 4, fastened in position by binding-screws 5, passing through the p ates and enterin threaded metallic plugs or sockets 6, embe ded or otherwise fixed In the base. Plate 3 forms an integral part of or is suitably attached to the socket 7 which, in addition to being connected to said plate, may be fastened in other preferred manner to the base. One of the circuit-Wires is connected in practice with one of the bindin screws fastening the terminal plate 3, whil the other circuit-wire is connected with one of the binding-screws fastening the terminal plate 4. The plate 4 is bent inwardly to form a sprin outwar direction to provide a yielding contact member 8', adapted to engage the co actin contact member- 9 of the socket tol comp ete the circuit. Said arm 8 and contact member 8 occupy a recess 10, formed in the outer face of the base and communicating with the outer end of the recess 2, in Which the terminal plate 4 is seated.

The base 1s formed with a chamber 11, through which extends the switch shaft or spindle 12, said spindle being journaled in bearing-openings 13 in the base and removably secured in position by washers 14, seated in recesses 15 in the sides of the base, and pins 16, 'fitted in the spindle and engaging said,4 Washers, thereby holding the spindle from longitudinal movement, while permitting it to have free rotation. The spindle and its key or finger 17 are formed of a single piece of metal, preferably of the same char acter as the socket 7 to conform in finish thereto, and by the described construction of said spindle and manner of mounting the same and the terminal connections it Will be seen that the spindle is insulated from the socket and said connections 'and that as the key 17 is an integral art of the spindleit is not liable to become broken or otherwise injured. The central portion 18 ofthe spindle is of rectangular form and carries a tumbler or cam-block 19, having parallel sides and cut away or truncated cornersqadapted as the spindle isvrotated to-alternately and respectively engage the 'arm 8 tovpermit the contact-strip 8 to move out of the socket-contact 9` or to force said strip into engagement with said socket-contact. Block 19 occupies the chamber 11 and may l' be applied to or removed from, the spindle by -arm 8 and rebent orturned in an.

engagement with an endwise movement of the latter, the rectangular central portion of the spindle, however, fixing said block to the spindle for rotary movement. The construction of the arm 8 and contact member or strip 8 insures a free and easy movement of these parts and a yielding action of the member or strip 8 to adapt it to perfectly coyact with contact member 9 on the socket. s one vmanner of fastening the socket upon the base the base, as shown in Fig. 3, may be provided in its outer edge with recesses to receive and retain clamping-screws 21, carried by the inner end of the socket. hese screws in connection With the terminal plate 3 will iirmly fix the socket tothe base.

- S. l Successive It will thus be seen that my invention. provides a construction wherein the switch shaft or spindle is insulated from the conductingterminals and socket and may therefore be made entirely of metal, so that the key 17 may accord in finish With the socket and will be strong enough to resist breakage, thus adapting the socket to be used for an indefinite period. The cost of construction, fur-` thermore, is not greater and, in fact, is less than the cost of production ofthe majority -of sockets in common' use.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification in- Whi'ch the switch or shaft is adapted to bei In this ern-5" 'bodiment of the invention a ltoothed wheel operated by a pull connection.

22 is fixed to the rectangular portion of the shaft and is adapted to be engaged by a pullchain 23, secured at one end to a coiled retracting-spring 24, fastened to the base 1. A pull upon the chain 23 will bring one of the corners of the tumbler-block into action and force 'the contact 8 into engagement with the conta-ct 9, and upon release of the chain the spring will draw the same back to normal position, the chain in this action riding over the ,teethof the wheel without reversely turnin said-Wheel or the cam-block. A second pul upon the chain will then bring the fol-lowing flat side of the block into engagement with y the -arm 8, thus retracting the contact-strip pulls upon the chain will thereby alternately operate the cam-block to project and retract the contact 8', thus throwing the lamp into and out of connectionivith the circuit, as will be readily understoo Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-l 1. A-lamp-socket comprising a base of insulating material having a chamber and opposite exterior recesses, a socket proper attached to the base,terminal lates secured in said exterior recesses, one-of) said plates being connected with the socket proper and the yother extended irto the top of the chamber and bent to form a contact portion, a coperating contact member on the socket proper,

ment with the contact on the socket proper.

2. A lamp-socket comprising an' insulating-base formed With a chamber and with diametrically opposite external recesses, a socket proper secured to the base, terminal conducting-strips fastened in said exterior recesses, one of said strips being connected With the socket proper and the other bent in- Wardly into the chamber to form an operating-strip and rebent to provide a flexible contact portion, a contact member on the socket proper adapted to be engaged by said 'contact portion, a shaft extending through the chamber, and a tumbler carried by said shaft and operative to engage the strip to move the iiexible contact portion into and out of en` gagement With the contact on the socket proper. y

3. A lamp-socket comprising an insulating-base formed with a chamber and diametrically opposite external recesses, one of said recesses communicating with the chamber, a socket proper attached to the base, socketplugs carried by the base, conducting-strips arranged in said exterior recesses, screws fastening said strips to the socket-plugs, one of said conducting-strips being connected withl the socket proper and the other extending through the communicating recess into the lchamber to form an operating-strip and rebent to provide a iexible contact, a contact member on the socket proper, a shaft extcndingthrough the chamber, and a tumbler upon said shaft operative to engage the strip IOO to move the contact member thereof into and out of engagement with the'contact on the socket proper.

4. IA lamp-socket comprising .an insulating-base provided with a chamber, a socket properattached to the base and carrying a contact, conducting-strips secured to the exterior of the base, one of said strips being directly attached to the socket proper'and the IIO other bent inwardly into the chamber to-- form a contact portion to engage the contact on the socket proper, a shaft extending through the chamber, and a tumbler on said ls)haft operative to engage said contact mem- 5. In a lamp-socket, a base, circuit connections, an operating-shaft insulated from and controlling said circuit connections, a toothed wheel on the shaft, an open-linked chain engaging said wheel, and a retracting-spring connected directly to one end of the chain.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. NICHOLS.

Witnesses:

COLLINS Y. GRAVES, EDWARD C. BENNETT.

IIS 

